Screen door latch holder



Aug. 12, 1958 e. RUSHING, JR 2,847,241

SCREEN DOOR LATCH HOLDER Filed Dec. 2a, 1956 fl y- Z @l yd;

BY M W ATTORNEYS United States Patent SCREEN DOOR LATCH HULDER George Rushing, Jr., Little Rock, Ark. Application December 28, 1956, Serial No. 631,251 1 Claim. (Cl. 292-95) This invention relates to a holder for screen door latches.

It is a common practice to provide the usual hook type latch on a screen door. free swinging hook mounted on an eyc bolt secured to the door. The hook engages in an eye-bolt or eye-screw mounted on the door frame. When not engaged in the latch position, the hook has a free-swinging movement and as the door is opened and closed, the hook rubs against the door, eventually rubbing a somewhat circular groove in the door and damaging not only the finish but the door itself. Also, clothing of persons passing by can catch and tear on the hook.

My primary object is therefore to provide a means of holding the latch-hook to prevent movement thereof, yet at the same time, the latch-hook can be very quickly and easily disengaged from the holder when it is desired to use the latch-hook in the customary manner of securing it to the eye-bolt or eye-screw of the door frame.

Another object is to provide a device of the kind described which can be very easily attached to any door which already has the latch-hook and supporting eye.

A further object is to provide a device of the kind described wherein the latch-hook, supporting eye, and holder or retainer for the hook are all mounted on a single plate for attachment of the whole unit to the door, by means of the plate, the device thus being both use ful and ornamental, and at the same time providing a means whereby the damage to a door which has already been damaged by a free-swinging hook can be very effectively concealed and further damage prevented.

My device is so constructed that no injury to the hands of the user can result, nor is there any possibility of damage to the clothes of any person rubbing up against the device, intentionally or accidentally.

Other objects will become apparent from the appended description, drawings and claim.

I do not mean to confine myself to only the specific structures herein disclosed, and the invention is to be considered in every aspect of the claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a detail of a modification.

As best seen in Figure 1, the invention. includes a plate shown as an elongated rectangular member but which obviously may have other configurations. This This latch consists of a- 2,847,241 ii atented Aug. 12, 1958 plate is preferably of metal and can be formed by stamping or pressing. The plate 10 is provided with openings 11 for retaining screws or nails to secure the plate to the side of a door. The number of openings is a matter of choice since there can be as many as considered necessary and the placement thereof is optional. Mounted on the plate 15. is an eye 12 from which is free-swingingly supported a latch-hook 14 for engagement in a customary manner with an eye-bolt or eyescrew, not shown, mounted on a door frame. The eye 12 is secured to the plate 10 by swaging or peening over the end which projects into the plate ltl as at 15, seen in Figure 2. Other suitable means may be employed to secure the eye 12 to the plate 10.

As an alternative, as seen in Figure 5, the plate 10 may have an opening 23 and the eye 12 may be projected therethrough and screwed into the door, thereby efiectively holding the plate 10 against the door and providing means to adjust the eye 12.

Suitably spaced from eye 12, on the plate 1%, is mounted a hook-retainer 16 of spring metal or equivalent. This retainer 16 is comprised of a flat portion 17 and a curved portion 13. The end 19 of the hook 14 engages in the space 20 provided by the curved portion 18 of the retainer 16 between the portion 18 and the plate 10. The retainer 16 is secured to the plate lit by spot welding as seen at 21 in Figure 2 or by other suitable means.

As will readily be seen, when it is desired to hold the hook from swinging, the end 19 ofthe hook is inserted in the space 20 and by reason of the retainer 16 being of spring material, the hook is clamped and held until manually disengaged.

The modified device 25 seen in Figure 3 is similar to the device of Figure 1 except that the plate 10a is smaller than the plate 10 and carries only the retainer 16a which is similar to and functions like the retainer 16. The plate 10a may be secured in place in the same manner as plate 16.

The function of the device and its manner of use is as explained and as is obvious from the disclosure. By reason of the retainer covering the hook there is no chance of injury to the hands from pressing against the hook nor an possibility that the hook will accidentally entangle in a sleeve or clothing.

It will be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the invention and I claim all improvements which may fall within the scope of the claim.

What I claim is:

A screen door latch structure comprising, a backing plate, means adapted for securing said backing plate to a screen door, an elongated hook, means mounting said hook to said plate for universal movement thereon, and means to detachably secure the free end of said hook to said backing plate, including a spring clip having one end secured to said plate and the other end portion formed arcuately and spaced from said plate, said arcuately formed portion being normally biased toward said plate for resiliently engaging said hook to detachably secure said hook to said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,553,490 Wallace Sept. 15, 1925 

